Anwar Ibrahim to Limit Malaysian PM Tenure to 10 Years

KUALA LUMPUR : In a landmark New Year’s announcement, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has confirmed that the Malaysian government will introduce legislation this year to limit the Prime Minister’s tenure to a maximum of 10 years or two full terms.

Addressing a cabinet meeting of ministers and civil servants on Monday, Anwar emphasized the importance of leadership renewal and the dangers of entrenched power.

“Everyone has a term limit, without exception,” Anwar stated. “After serving the term, it is better for us to hand it over to the next generation.”

The 10-year limit was a cornerstone of the Pakatan Harapan (Alliance of Hope) 2022 election manifesto. Currently, the Malaysian constitution places no limit on how long a leader can serve—a loophole that allowed former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to hold office for a total of 24 years across two separate tenures.

The term limit is part of a broader “good governance” legislative package. Anwar also announced the upcoming introduction of:

Freedom of Information Bill: Designed to increase government transparency.

Office of the Ombudsman: An independent body to investigate public complaints and strengthen the fight against systemic graft.

“The ombudsman allows the people to raise any issues because, from the prime minister downwards, everyone must be accountable,” Anwar said.

The announcement comes as the Malaysian judiciary continues to crack down on past abuses of power. Last month, the High Court added 15 years to the jail sentence of former premier Najib Razak for his involvement in the 1MDB sovereign wealth fund scandal.

Parliament is scheduled to hold its first session of the year later this month, where the timeline for the term limit bill is expected to be finalized.